Boulder police investigating two reports of strangers approaching young children

By Mitchell Byars, Camera Staff Writer

Posted:
11/06/2012 09:35:25 AM MST

Updated:
11/06/2012 06:12:37 PM MST

Boulder police are investigating two separate incidents in which a stranger reportedly approached young children Monday, according to officials.

In the first incident, a 7-year-old boy and his 6-year-old sister were walking home from Whittier Elementary when they were "startled" by a man at around 3:20 p.m. in the area of 24th and Spruce streets. The boy told police the man did not attempt to contact or follow them, but the boy said he thought the man may have been carrying a gun or a knife.

The children ran home and reported the incident to their mother, who alerted Whittier Elementary. The Boulder Valley School District sent out an email from Whittier Elementary Principal Becky Escamilla that was received by all district parents at 8:06 p.m. Monday, according to spokeswoman Lisa Collins.

The man was described as about 30 years old, dark-skinned, white, with an average build and wearing a dark baseball hat with a smiley-face emblem.

A second incident occurred at 3:45 p.m. Monday in the Table Mesa Shopping Center. In that incident, a 12-year-old boy said a man was frightening him and seemed to be following him and trying to make eye contact. The boy went into a nearby store and called his mother to pick him up.

The mother reported the incident to police later that night. Investigators interviewed the boy Tuesday morning at Southern Hills Middle School, where he is a student.

Police say the boy described the man to his mother as a dark-skinned white male in his early 20s weighing about 190 pounds with short, dark hair. He was wearing an olive-colored hoodie, dirty blue jeans and a dark blue baseball hat.

Police are working on a possible composite sketch, as well as asking businesses in the Table Mesa Shopping Center if they have video of the man.

Kim Kobel, a spokeswoman for the Boulder Police Department, said extra officers are patrolling Southern Hills Middle School, Whittier Elementary, Table Mesa Shopping Center and the area near 24th and Spruce streets. Kobel said police do not have any evidence the two incidents are related.

Kobel urged parents to continue to be vigilant and call 911 to report suspicious incidents as soon as possible.

"It gives us a better chance of getting into the area immediately and search for the suspect, who may still be in the area," Kobel said.

Anyone who has information about either incident is asked to call Detective Kristin Weisbach at 303-441-4474.

Those who have information but wish to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS or crimeshurt.com. Those submitting tips through Crime Stoppers that lead to the arrest and filing of charges may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.